can everybody please give sandy a big round of applause? [ applause ] give sandy's son a big round of applause for serving our country. [ cheering ] give it up for john mellencamp. [ cheers and applause ] it's wonderful to be here. for the last several days all of us have been focused on one of the worst storms in our lifetime that's been happening on the east coast. i know i speak for the country when i say our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones, people whose lives have been upended. folks here in iowa know something about flooding. you remember what happened just a few years ago. recovery process is tough. but when i visited new jersey, i told folks there that everybody all across the country feels the same way. we are going to be with people every step of the way down the long hard road of recovery. we're going to help them rebuild. we're going to do it together. that's what americans do. [ cheers and applause ] in fact, in the middle of the tragedy, we were also inspired by heros running into buildings wading throug